Neurohypophyseal hormones and skeletal muscle: a tale of two faces

The neurohypophyseal hormones vasopressin and oxytocin were invested, in recent years, with novel functions upon striated muscle, regulating its differentiation, trophism, and homeostasis. Recent studies highlight that these hormones not only target skeletal muscle but represent novel myokines. We discuss the possibility of exploiting the muscle hypertrophying activity of oxytocin to revert muscle atrophy, including cancer cachexia muscle wasting. Furthermore, the role of oxytocin in cardiac homeostasis and the possible role of cardiac atrophy as a concause of death in cachectic patients is discussed.